Dhaka: The existing Bangladeshi government, which has been in place since the overthrow of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has suggested that nationals elections may occur within the year. The first condition mentioned by Mr Asif Nazrul, an advisor in the interim government, are the essential condition of reforms, politics agreements, registration of the voters, constitution of the search committee and election commission are also necessary to hold the election.
‘The timing of the elections is a critical policy decision, the time line of the elections process will be made under the mantle of Chief Advisor’, said Dr Nazrul Islam who is also the Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister. ”It is the prerogative of the Chief Advisor to decide the day for election.”
Health Issues and Sheikh Hasina’s Resignation
Politics in Bangladesh started getting unstable since August 2024 when the sitting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was removed through violent protests over the scrapping of the quota system. Protests turned armed and destructive with more than 620 people killed, including attacks on the minority Hindu population. After these events Sheikh Hasina left the country and at the time of writing this paper is living in India.
On August 8, Bangladeshi Nobel laureate economist Muhammad Yunus was appointed as the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh caretaker government to oversee a period of political rebuilding before the subsequent elections. The interim government has also broadened the role of the military in the provision of law and order throughout this transition.
Road to Elections
Whereas Dr. Md. Nazrul highlighted the fact that elections can be conducted within one year he pointed out that a number of factors must be present first. Elections themselves are preceded by reforms and other kinds of political compromise. It need to consider establishment of search committee, formation of the election commission and updating of voter registry before announcing a date, he added.
A political future of Bangladesh is still unpredictable because of the recent events that happened after the resignation of Sheikh Hasina and the cyclone of violence. The current government has not fully stabilized and is in a process of efforts to contribute to the further organization of free and fair elections.
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